Breaking Inside
by Ghost501
Summary: Percy and Annabeth have escaped from Tarturus, but at the expense of Nico's life. But what truly happened that day and why is no one telling Percy?
1. Chapter 1

Another Percy Jackson tragedy. This time it's not Percy who is dead. This was supposed to be a one-shot, but it's looking to be more of a be more of a two-shot.

* * *

Percy watched Annabeth from his table as she tried desperately to not look at him. She had become more and more distant after they had escaped from Tarturus. Percy put his hand on his head as a small headache began to take over. Every time he thought about their escape, he would get random pains, often in the form of a headache, though sometimes he would be rendered unconscious. He couldn't explain it, but the world often started to go fuzzy whenever he tried to recall the events of that day.

Percy closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. Not only did physical pain affect the young hero, but the emotional pain had often rivaled the physical. Percy had felt extremely guilty about the whole event. Why? Because he hadn't been awake for any of it. The last thing he remembered was Gaea trying to swallow him and Annabeth into the Earth. Then he woke up to find the others grieving over the loss of the son of Hades, Nico, on the Argo II. Annabeth never told him what happened no matter how many times he asked.

In fact, the other seven were always being very secretive over the events of that dark day. Percy felt like a cold hand was closing around his heart. Why would they do this to him? Why would they keep him out of the loop of the death of Nico.

Percy felt tears come to his eyes as he remembered the young boy. He remembered having to apologize to the boy about his sister's death. Deep inside, Percy never truly recovered from that. Sure, Nico had, in the end, given up his grudge and forgiven him. But Percy had always felt responsible for allowing him to grow up alone. Bianca had been more than his family. She was his lifeline and without her, it had taken him a long time to ever come close to accepting Percy, or anyone else for the matter, as a friend. When he did, Percy had begun to look to him as a younger brother.

And now, he was gone. He looked up to the sky in anger. How long was he to suffer? He had saved the gods and down their dirty work for years only to be repaid by losing eight months of his life and forced to re-remember who he was. Then, he was allowed to fall down into hell with no help but his injured girlfriend. And now Nico had mysteriously died in the battle and no one would give him an answer. What would he have to do so that life would just make sense for once?

* * *

Annabeth almost cried as she saw her boyfriend glare into the clouds. It wasn't fair to keep him in the dark, but she had to. They all had to. The truth about what happened that day would be too much for him. She held back her tears.

Why was Percy cursed to such a horrid life? He was such a good person. He selflessly gave 100 percent in everything—well, maybe not school—he did, especially when his friends were involved. His unwavering loyalty was both his strength and his crutch. He often put himself in very risky situations in in order to save those he loved. Even her. He went with her to Tarturus just to make sure that she would be protected. He could have left her to fall down into that hole and saved her later, but he didn't.

And now, well she didn't even want to think about his current mental status. She trained her gaze on her plate even though the food was gone. She knew that if she looked into his sea green eyes that her resolve would weaken. He would corner her and she would have no choice but to tell him what happened. Why couldn't he just have a simpler life? He didn't deserve this kind of torture.

She looked up to see her siblings still talking. Normally, she would leave her table whenever she was ready to leave. But ever since she got back, she had tried to leave with them. She felt like she was stabbing herself in the heart. She hadn't spent much time with Percy, especially alone. She wouldn't be able to keep the secret safe if she did that. Sure they had shared a kiss here and there, but she could almost feel the absence of the spark between them.

She knew that she loved him and he still loved her. But she could also feel his pain. His disbelief that no one would trust him to tell him what happened to his younger "brother". She forced herself to give a glance over the son of Poseidon's table and instantly regretted it. His eyes were trained on her and she could already feel her strength leaving her.

_'No, you can't. Not to him. You can't destroy him!'_ Annabeth thought and snapped her attention back to her own table. She scolded herself for even attempting such a dare. She started cursing everything in her head. Why couldn't he just be free?

* * *

Percy felt his heart sink as she turned away from him. He not only felt ashamed of trying to use his influence on her, but he also felt betrayed. He and Annabeth had gone through everything together. But now, it felt like she was trying to distance himself from him. Had he done something wrong? Why did everyone treat him like the plague?

He slowly got up from his table and stalked off to his cabin. Never before had he felt so empty inside his own home away from home. He felt the pain of the distrust cut into him. He felt the pain of losing Nico cut into him. He felt the pain of the loneliness he felt inside. He flopped onto his bed but actually felt too tired to sleep. He turned over so that he was lying on his back and he stared at the ceiling. What had he done to offend the Fates so much? Why didn't Annabeth just talk to him?

He grabbed his pillow from behind his head and put into up to his face. And then he cried. The pillow muffled the noise of his sobbing. Why couldn't it just go back to being the same way it was before?

She couldn't take watching him suffer like this. She stood outside Percy's cabin as he sobbed. She couldn't tell what was worse: telling him the truth or not.

"Annabeth, what are you doing?" Piper asked, startling Annabeth.

"Piper! Don't scare me like that!" she yelled back to the daughter of Aphrodite.

"Sorry, but you still didn't answer my question."

"It's Percy. He's getting worse. At first, I thought he would just accept the story Chiron gave him, but he's smarter than what we give him credit for. He's figuring out that there's more than what we're telling him."

"Annabeth, you we can't…"

"I KNOW!" Annabeth yelled, causing Piper to move back a pace. Annabeth's face soften, "I'm so sorry, Piper. It's just that I hate seeing him like this. It's killing me inside."

"So, what are you going to do?" Piper put a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I don't know. I just don't know."

* * *

Chapter Two will be coming out later tonight hopefully!


	2. Chapter 2

So I was wrong. This is actually going to be a three-shot. I meant to try to finish it here, but it extended into one more chapter. Hopefully, I'll complete this tonight!

* * *

Annabeth awoke in a cold sweat that night. The nightmares were back. After the first week they had gotten back from Tarturus, the dreams were horrid but they had begun to calm down. Now, they were worse than ever before. Why? Because, they were about her love, Percy Jackson. She had watched him take his own life. She watched him deteriorate to the point in which he couldn't live in a world where no one would trust him.

She quietly slipped out of her bed and exited her cabin. Even though it was dark, she knew the way to Percy's cabin by heart. She silently opened the door and poked her head through. The cabin was dark, but she could see the outline of her boyfriend in his bed. She closed the door and tiptoed to his side. She gently placed to fingers to his neck and almost collapsed in relief as she felt a pulse.

She let go a breath she didn't even know that she was holding and prepared to leave the cabin, but she didn't factor the possibility that Percy was only half asleep. His hand grabbed hold of her and she turned only to fall victim to his eyes. She tried to turn away, but there was nowhere to turn to. She felt the eyes stare into hers and she knew that she was in trouble.

"Why?" he asked.

She gulped. She really didn't want him to be talking to her because that would involve her talking back to him. "Why what?" she asked, playing stupid.

"You know what, Annabeth?" his voice sounded so sad and broken that it ripped her heart in two. She had done this to him, but she knew that if she told him the truth she would only rip him in two.

"No, I don't know, Percy. But I know that's it almost one in the morning and I need to get back to my cabin."

"But you were the one who came to my cabin."

_'Crap,' _she thought. Why did he pick now of all times to be observant and logical?

"So, Annabeth," he stood up from his bed and walked towards her. He was almost half a foot taller than her now. She backed up until she hit a wall and realized too late that she was cornered. Why had she gotten herself into this mess? "Why are you hiding Nico's death from me?"

"I'm not hiding anything. We told you he died fighting the monsters."

"Then how where the Doors of Death closed?"

"An earthquake. Remember? They were so close together they just shook themselves closed.

"Oh, was it an earthquake because Piper told me that Thantos closed them. And Chiron told me that Hades closed them! And Leo told me the all of the Big Three members closed them!"

Annabeth looked into her love's eyes fearfully. She knew he wasn't mad. He was upset yes, but not mad. He was just tired of being lied to all the time; especially by the one he trusted most of all.

"Please," he pleaded, "just tell me the truth."

She closed her eyes, "I can't. Please. Please don't make me tell Percy. I can't see you get hurt."

"I'm already hurt! Nico's dead and no one will tell me why! I've had my closest friend lie to my face! I've been alienated by everyone I love for the past three weeks! If you're worried about me being hurt, you're a little late!"

"No, because I know what happened that day. And I know that if I tell you what happened, it will destroy you."

"That's not for you to decide!"

"Maybe not; but Percy, I love you and I'm not willing to let you kill yourself over this. And the only way I can assure that is by leaving you in the dark."

Percy stared at her for a long time. Then he leaned in and kissed her. Annabeth fought herself not to respond to him. She knew he was just looking for a way to weaken her, but she had to stay strong for him. He wouldn't survive if he knew the truth.

As he broke of the kiss, he looked back into her grey eyes. They were concerned and scared at the same time. What was she hiding so close to her heart that she wouldn't tell him?

He felt despair and shame consume. Tears filled his eyes and he turned his back to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to use that to try and get information. It was wrong. I'm…" he took a breath, "I just tired of being in the dark. That's all I've been in for almost a year now. I…I just wanted to know."

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Percy. But I can't let you know. I just can't let you know."

"I know."

She walked up behind him and hugged him. She felt terrible for being the cause of this, but she would feel worse if he knew. She turned him around so that he faced her and gave him a small kiss on his check. "Please, just get some rest. For me?"

"Okay."

She left his cabin and returned back to her own. _'Percy, if only I could let you know.'_

* * *

When she woke up the next morning, she knew something was wrong. Her siblings were all up and some were staring sadly at her. Finally, Malcolm rose and walked towards her. It had taken her a little while to understand since she had just woken up; but after Malcolm retold the situation to her, she was dressed in under a minute and already sprinting towards the infirmary.

_'No. He wouldn't have.'_ She thought as she opened the door. But sure enough, there he was. Lying on his bed and white as a sheet. Leo sat almost dozing off in a small chair next to him. The door opening had snapped the boy awake and he turned to see her.

"Oh, I was wondering when you would show up." He said.

"What happened?!" Annabeth asked although she had already heard from Malcolm.

"Well, when no one saw him at breakfast, I went to check up on him. He was like this when we got there. In fact he was even worse; somehow he got it so that it was really hot in his cabin. He was trying to give himself severe dehydration or worse. Anyway, we got him out of the oven and brought him here. We've been giving him water, but Chiron insisted I stay here to make sure that he didn't try anything funny again."

"Oh," she said softly. Her dream had almost come true. Almost. There was still time to save him.

"Look, Annabeth. I know I may not the best advice giver, but maybe we should consider telling him about Nico. I mean he almost killed himself because he doesn't know. In this case it's like a damned if you, damned if you don't thing."

Annabeth nodded, "Hey, it's okay if you want to go and try to get something to eat. I'll stay here with him."

"Okay, thanks." Leo got up from his chair and left the room.

Annabeth took his seat and watched Percy. _'He's right. Percy has to know. I mean he's gone to this length already. When he wakes up, I'll tell him the truth."_


	3. Chapter 3

Ended a little dark than I thought it would, but hey this is a tragedy. Thanks for reading!

* * *

When Percy woke up, he was surprised. He thought he would be dead by now. He really hadn't wanted to commit suicide, but he couldn't help it. He had been so alone. Last night had been the closest that Annabeth had been for a long time, but it still didn't fill his void. So, he increased the amount of water molecules in his room causing the room to become very humid. The heat increased and soon he was out like a light. He turned to see Annabeth asleep in a small chair next to his bed.

He tried to get up and leave but was rewarded with a loud fall. He was woozy and had not yet recovered from his dehydration. However, he did succeed in waking up Annabeth. She got up and helped him back onto the bed.

"You okay?" she asked.

"No," he didn't have the energy to lie.

"Why'd you do it?"

"Cause I have no one left! You're ignoring me! Leo's ignoring me! Piper and Jason are ignoring me! Frank's ignoring me! Hazel looks at me like I'm the plague! Why do I need to live in a world where no one will trust me?"

"Percy, look at me."

Percy looked into his girlfriend's grey eyes. He almost got lost in their gaze. Normally, they were calculating and warm. But now, they seem to just be searching him as if she could see some kind of inner quality that he couldn't.

"You know I love you and that I don't want to hurt you, right?"

"Yeah, I do." _'Though you certainly haven't been acting like it.'_ He thought.

"Then lie down, you're not going to believe the story I'm about to tell you."

* * *

_ "Percy stop! I'm right here! I'm okay!" Annabeth yelled._

_ They were both outside of Tarturus with the Doors of the Death only cracked open. They had been unable to close them because Percy had run through the crack to the other side and was currently locked in a dangerous sword fight with none other than… Nico Di Angelo. As far as Annabeth could tell, Gaea had tricked him in order to stall for time so that the doors wouldn't be closed by sending him into some kind of vision in which she was being hurt. She could only guess that she had twisted Nico to look like the offender. Percy's eyes blazed with anger._

_ "HOW DARE YOU EVEN TOUCH HER!" He roared._

_ Nico was doing his best to block the oncoming assault; but he knew that if he didn't do something soon, Percy would kill him. Whether he knew it or not._

_ "Percy!" Annabeth yelled, trying to break the hallucination Gaea placed on him. "Wake Up! You're fighting Nico not a monster! Please stop!" she cried._

_ "Please Percy!" Piper poured all her charmspeak into every word, "You're among friends. You can stop fighting!"_

_ But it didn't work. He just charged at the child of Hades. Percy raised Riptide and slashed. Nico had barely managed to block the attack, but Percy had attacked with such forced that he caused the Stygian iron blade to be knocked out of his hands. The sword clattered on the ground and skidded away from Nico, leaving him defenseless._

_ Nico looked at Percy. His eyes were glazed over and seemed to almost blaze with anger. What had Gaea put into his mind so that he acted with this much rage?_

_ As Percy raised his sword, he was attacked by two fireballs and a strong gust of wind. The blast caused him to drop Riptide. Before Percy could grab his sword and counter, he felt his body being constricted. He looked down to see no other than an anaconda holding his body tightly._

_ Nico turned to see Jason and Leo focusing their energy on keeping Percy busy while Frank was struggling to hold him without killing him. He saw Annabeth, Piper, and Hazel doing their best to hold the Doors of Death and preventing more monsters from coming through. He could hear the other monsters on their side of the doors reforming. So, he did the only thing he could do. The Percy thing to do. He picked up his blade, charged past everyone, and ran through the crack that Percy had run through. _

_He pushed his way through the monsters and just started slashing and hacking at everything in sight. He eventually realized that he had killed everything around him, but at a huge cost. His body was riddled with wounds, but he knew what he was getting into._

"_Nico! What are you doing!" Hazel yelled._

"_I'm sorry. But I think I finally know how Bianca felt the day she died!"_

_ "What are you saying?!"_

"_I'm saying that you're the next legacy. You will become Hades's pride! My role ends here!"_

_Using all the strength he had left, he pushed the Doors of Death in and with a final thud, the doors closed. Leaving the dying Nico trapped in Tarturus and the others safe._

* * *

"You woke up soon after that. You had no idea what had happened. We thought that it would be better that way."

Percy didn't say a word. It was his fault. His fault! He had let himself be controlled by Gaea. He attacked Nico! He had been the division! And now, Nico was dead. The boy he considered a little brother was gone, and it was all his fault.

"Percy?"

"It's all my fault." Percy whispered.

"No, it's not. It was…"

"DON"T TELL ME IT WAS GAEA'S! I WAS THE ONE WHO ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN! IT'S MY FAULT NICO'S DEAD." Percy yelled, not particularly angry at Annabeth, but angry at himself.

Annabeth wrapped him in a life-squeezing hug. But Percy didn't care. He felt hollow inside. How could let this happen? The Hero of Olympus they called him. Lies. Fabrications! If he was truly a hero, he wouldn't have allowed this happen. But he had. And now, Nico was gone.

He buried his head into his hands and cried. Annabeth cradled him. Trying to tell him that it was okay and that it wasn't his fault. But Percy didn't care. Now he knew what had happened that day. Now, he was doing exactly what Annabeth feared would happen. He was breaking on the inside and more than likely, he would never be fixed again.

* * *

Edit (7/23/13) : So, I was going to end it here, but I have decided to add some more to _Breaking Inside. Later chapters will be released today. I imagine that this story probably has a max of an extra two chapters in it, but then again this was supposed to be a one-shot..._


	4. Chapter 4

So a couple of things to take care of:

1) Thank you all your reviews. I honestly didn't think my stories would get this much attention so quickly.

2) This and maybe two weeks from now will be major update and posting weeks for me. Next week I won't be available and three weeks from now I will be very busy. But after it all calms down, I will be back.

And now, on with the story!

* * *

Annabeth watched him as he fell asleep, guilt beginning to take over. She had managed to come to terms with most of it, but still had yet to forgive herself for what she did to Percy. In truth, it was no one's fault but the twisted Gaea. But no one saw it that way. Percy's self damnation assured that.

Everyone felt some way responsible for the young boy's spiral into insanity. Annabeth gently brushed some of his black hair out of his face. It was the only time nowadays that he even seemed close to peaceful. She wiped her tears from her eyes, desperate to try to keep her vision clear. He wouldn't stay this way for long.

Within a few minutes, he started to whimper. Ever since she had told him about the events regarding the closing of the Doors of Death, he had reported seeing the scene over and over in an endless loop in his dreams. No one could say why this was happening. Maybe this was some immortal's revenge against Percy for angering him/her. But it didn't matter now.

He was suffering and that was the only thing Annabeth cared about.

* * *

Isn't he your companion? Your "little brother"? Such anger you feel towards him.

_ Percy slashed and hacked at Nico, trying desperately to knock out his bad and go in for the final strike. At least his body was anyway. His mind was desperately trying to take back control. This madness needed to stop before someone got hurt._

_ "Percy, stop! I'm right here! I'm okay!" Annabeth yelled._

Listen to her. Stop before you do something you'll regret.

_He tried. He honestly did. But she was too much. Her power was too great. It was like holding the sky and adding a few extra skies on top of that. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of darkness. For the second time of his life, he felt like he was going under the surface. He was scared. He heard himself utter a phrase, but he couldn't decipher it._

_ "Percy!" Annabeth yelled again. "Wake Up! You're fighting Nico not a monster! Please stop!" Annabeth cried._

_ "Please Percy!" Piper poured all her charmspeak into every word, "You're among friends. You can stop fighting!"_

_ He tried to listen to Piper. Tried to concentrate on her charmspeak. But, he couldn't. Gaea, even in a dormant state, was still more powerful than all eight's—plus Nico's—powers combined. She shrugged off the alluring voice and continued to influence his body to commit her evil doings._

Oh, nice strike. Now, finish the brat.

_He felt himself give into the darkness. He was losing consciousness. Before he went under, a shock jolted me back awake._

I can't have you doing back. You must stay awake for the entire performance. After all, I would hate for you to miss your opening night.

_I hate you, he thought. Never before did he hate anyone as much as he hated her. Gaea was making him do this. She was controlling his body to do her will! He tossed and turned in the darkness, but he couldn't break free. He saw Riptide go up in the air and he closed my eyes. Why had it come to this?_

_ Then, he saw his body fall down. Riptide skidded off somewhere on the floor._

_He felt himself get wrapped around and a sudden squeeze caught him off guard. It was Frank as an anaconda! He saw Leo and Jason prepare for a counter attack as Frank's grip tightened. How long could the others hold the doors?_

_ Then he heard footsteps. His head turned to see none other than Nico charging at the Doors of Death with nothing more than his sword. He saw the determination in his eyes and froze. Something told him that that was how his face looked like whenever he was about to some _very_ dangerous. He saw the young boy hack and slash at every monster in his path. He wondered if this was what he looked like with he had taken on Hades's army after he had gotten Achilles's curse. But, the difference between us was that he was invulnerable at the time, Nico wasn't._

_ The boy took every slash and stab. But he still went at them with everything he had. Eventually, he had killed everyone monster who had crowded around the door. When he turned back to face us, he looked like he had been placed in a blender. _

No. You idiots! Get back in the fight! Do you wish to live extra years in this place!

_His body was struggling against the might of the snake. Frank was having a tough time holding on. _

"_Nico! What are you doing?!" Hazel yelled._

"_I'm sorry. But I think I finally know how Bianca felt the day she died!"_

_ "What are you saying?!"_

"_I'm saying that you're the next legacy. You will become Hades's pride! My role ends here!"_

_Using all the strength he had left, he pushed the Doors of Death in and with a final thud, the doors closed. Gaea's presence left his mind, but it was too late. Nico was gone. As Percy gained control of himself, he felt his brain beginning to suppress this. Beginning to make him believe that it didn't happen. _

_When he actually woke up, Percy couldn't remember anything that happened. Now, he did. Now, he hated himself. Now, he wished that Frank had somehow pulled the courage to end me. Now, he wished that he had never pressured Annabeth into telling him. Now, he wished it was him who was stuck in Tarturus alone and dying, if not already dead._

_He wished to go to Hades and that he would condemn him to Tarturus. Why? Because, it was what he deserved._

* * *

Percy woke up with a start. Annabeth had fallen asleep next to him. He tried to move, but recently she had a habit of wrapping him in a tight hug whenever he went to sleep. Needless to say, he wouldn't have been able to move until Annabeth woke up. He stared up at the morning sun. Why? Why did the world have to be so cruel to those who truly didn't deserve it?


	5. Chapter 5

The beach was calm as Percy looked out on the waters. Sometimes, he just wished he jump into the waters and swim away. Swim away from his problems and life. But he knew that something would always drive him back to the world. Wherever he went, there was always going to be something bringing him back into the pain.

He felt himself collapse to the ground as his legs gave out. The tears fell uncontrollably. Why hadn't he been stronger? Why hadn't he stop Gaea from taking over his mind? Why had he broken through the darkness? Why hadn't he stopped Nico from sacrificing his life? Why hadn't it been him?

The questions broke the young man. For the first time, he felt not only alone but completely lost. Annabeth had tried to help. But it just wasn't enough. He felt his grip on sanity slipping as he fell into the darkness.

* * *

"Percy!" Annabeth cried out as she ran towards him.

When he hadn't appeared for dinner, she had gotten worried. When she checked his cabin and he wasn't there, she had gotten hysterical. She had finally found him at the beach, lying flat on his face.

She quickly flipped him over and put two fingers on his neck. He still had a pulse and the slow rising and falling of his chest showed that he was still breathing. She released a breath. He had just passed out. She knew that the truth had driven him into this state. Why hadn't she been stronger for him? Why couldn't she have just smacked some sense into him rather than tell him the truth?

She brushed the thoughts aside as she tried to drag him away from the ocean. No, it did no use trying to scold herself now. He would have just figured it out anyway. After all, he really wasn't stupid. She actually felt bad for insulting his intelligence by lying to him. But, what was done was done and now she needed to focus her energy on helping him heal.

She had somehow managed to drag her heavier companion to the trees behind the beach. As she sat down, he started to wake up.

"Annabeth?" he asked groggily.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I guess I just passed out or something." His eyes left hers and stared down to the ground. She could see the dark rings under his eyes. The nightmares constantly deprived Percy of both sleep and energy.

"Alright, well, you want to go back to the camp?"

"No. I…" he paused, "I just want to stay out here for a while."

He got up from his spot and returned back to the shoreline.

_'Percy.'_ She thought as she got up to follow him. She knew him well enough to know he was putting on a front. She could see him breaking into nothingness and despair. She took out her knife and stared at it. She would have to do something about this, before he got any worse.

* * *

Percy was partly expecting Annabeth to follow him to the shoreline. He was partly expecting her to try to convince him that nothing was wrong. He was partly expecting to ignore her. He was not expecting to be punched in the face by Annabeth. He was not expecting Annabeth to be trying to pick a fight with him.

"Come on, Percy. Lost your edge in your sadness?" she growled.

"Huh," Percy tried to search her eyes looking for answer. She was planning something, but as to what it was, he couldn't tell. "Annabeth, I'm not going to fight you."

"Well, then I guess it's back to infirmary with you then." Her foot lashed out and knocked Percy square in chest. He stumbled back and watched in fear as her knife flickered in the moonlight. She ran at it him with it and tried to attack. Percy jumped back but not without receiving a small cut on his arm. The wound bled a little, but Percy had received worse.

He went in his pocket and grabbed Riptide. He didn't want to hurt her; but if he could disarm her, he would at least stand a chance at figuring out what was going on with her.

He saw her smirk as she ran back at him. He parried her attack with his sword. Although Annabeth had a smaller blade, she was very proficient with her knife and had disarmed many people with swords before because they underestimated her.

"Come on, murderer! Is that the best you got?" she yelled.

Those words hurt worse than anything she had ever told him before, "What did you call me?" He growled.

"Well, you're here moping around like you were the one who killed Nico so I called you a murderer. Or are you too stupid to understand?"

"SHUT UP!" He yelled. This time, she was on the defensive as he attacked. The worst part was that he knew she was right. He was a murderer. He had sent Nico to his death. It was his fault that he died!

"Come on! Is this all you can do?! Maybe this is why Gaea took over your mind so easily. You're pathetic!"

Percy felt something snap inside of him. All the rage and pain he had felt over the past month started to escape in every blow he dealt. He felt tears cloud his eyes. It was his fault! His fault! Why did she have to remind him that it was his fault Nico was dead?! Hadn't he suffered enough? Hadn't he cried enough?! Why couldn't he just have saved him?!

Percy collapsed to his knees. His energy was gone. His rage and pain was gone too. Now, he was just an empty void. A waste of space.

Then, he felt Annabeth's arms around him. For the first time in a month, he accepted the embrace and started crying again.

"It's okay. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Tears filled her eyes to as the duo just sat there in the sand and cried. They cried for each other. They cried for the demigods lost in the war. And…they cried for Nico.

* * *

_"So, you finally got over being depressed huh?" a voice called out._

_ Percy looked behind him to see none other Nico standing behind him._

_ "NICO!"_

_ "Hey, Perce. Sorry I couldn't come before, but it was just so depressing in this mind of yours. Plus, I don't really like the 24 hour version of my death replaying in your mind."_

_ "Is this…"_

_ "Yes, it's dream. You feel asleep after Annabeth had to almost drag you back into your cabin. And yes, I actually do have a time limit here so we should probably talk quickly."_

_ "Listen, I'm…"_

_ "Save it. I'm not angry. You wouldn't have been able to stop her. It could have happened to anyone of us. Just promise me one thing."_

_ "What? Name it."_

_ "Don't hold grudges. In the end, it's really not worth it. I almost didn't learn that lesson. But I'm glad that you and Bianca were able to teach me that. It helped to make my life a lot more bearable. And please, stop feeling bad about my death. It was my choice to throw myself into Tarturus to close the doors. You were being used by Gaea. She wouldn't have given up control of your body until she had completed her goal. Honestly, she probably would have killed all of us whether you were possessed or someone else was. So please, stop feeling upset about it."_

_ Percy took time to ingest this. Finally he looked at his friend, "I promise."_

_ "Good, now use that loyalty of yours to keep it. Also, don't forget to visit. A few people want to say hi to you."_

_ "Alright, I will. You know if your dad lets me that is."_

_ "I'm sure you'll find a way. See you later, Percy."_

_ "Back at you, Nico."_

* * *

Annabeth never felt happier than she did that day when Percy came back out of his cabin, walked all the way over to the class she was teaching, spun her around, and kissed her in front of all his students. Everyone in the class started snicker, but she really could have cared less at that moment. Percy, her Percy, was back. And this time, she wasn't going to let him escape.

* * *

**EDIT (8/5/13): Sequel is up!**


End file.
